The present invention relates to a garment having a collar and more particularly to such a garment which can provide a fleece-like collar surface adjacent the wearer's face under cold but dry-weather conditions and a water-resistant collar surface under wet: weather conditions.
The purchasing public appears to be highly attracted to garments (such as jackets or coats) offering a collar having a fleece-like or furry upper surface which contacts the wearer's face when the collar is turned up to break the wind in cold weather. Garments with collars made of many other materials--for example, nylon jackets with nylon collars--may be equally effective in breaking the wind and protecting against cold weather, but they do not provide the subjective feeling of warmth that a furry or fleece-like surface provides.
On the other hand, when the weather becomes wet (e.g., rainy or snowy), the: exposed fleece-like collar surface typically absorbs a great amount of moisture and thereafter requires a prolonged period to dry. By way of contrast, collars made of the other materials--and especially nylon collars--may be water-resistant and quick drying even after saturation with water.
Thus, ideally a collar would provide a fleece-like surface for use in cold, dry weather, and a water-resistant surface for use in wet weather.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in one embodiment a garment with a convertible collar.
Another object is to provide such a garment capable of affording against the wearer's face a fleece-like surface during cold, dry weather, and a water-resistant surface during wet weather.
Another object is to provide such a garment wherein in one embodiment the water-resistant surface protects the fleece-like surface from becoming wet.
A further object is to provide such a garment wherein in one embodiment the fleece-like surface lies flat and parallel to the water-resistant surface so that the collar does not appear thick or bulky.
It is another object of the present invention to provide in one embodiment such a garment wherein the fleece-like sheet and the collar are permanently secured to the garment to preclude separation and loss.